Local MP challenges ‘disastrous’ Government on ‘shameful homelessness scandal’

December 22nd, 2018

Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley East, challenged the Government on statistics that show over 120 people are homeless in Barnsley.

Questioning the Government in the House of Commons, she also pushed for greater funds for local authorities like BMBC to tackle rising homelessness.

According to the housing charity Shelter, there are around 320,000 people recorded as homeless in Britain – a rise of 13,000 on the previous year and the equivalent to 36 people becoming homeless every day.

Recent figures show that deaths of homeless persons have increased by nearly a quarter over the last five years, with over 600 homeless people dying in England and Wales last year

The numbers follow the news that a homeless person died recently feet away from the entrance to Parliament in Westminster tube station – the second to do so this year.

Questioning the Government Minister overseeing housing in the House of Commons, the Barnsley MP stated society where a man can die on the steps of Parliament because he does not have a roof over his head is not one that should be accepted.

Stephanie went on: “The rise of homelessness over recent years is a national scandal and shames us all.

“In a country as rich as ours homelessness is not inevitable and nobody should be forced to live rough without a roof over their head, yet since 2010 the numbers of people doing so has more than doubled because of decisions made by this disastrous Tory government.

“We should urgently set about addressing the root causes of homelessness, and instead of further cuts this Government should make funds available for local councils to properly help those in need.